Electronic device, charger within the electronic device, and detecting method for detecting abnormal status of connector of electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device including a connector and a charger is provided. The connector is arranged for coupling to a power supply external to the electronic device, wherein the power supply is arranged to provide a supply voltage to the electronic device to charge a battery of the electronic device. The charger is coupled to the connector and selectively operated in a normal mode or a self-test mode, wherein when the charger operates in the normal mode, the charger is arranged for receiving the supply voltage via a power pin of the connector to charge the battery of the electronic device; and when the charger operates in the self-test mode, the charger provides a specific voltage to the power pin of the connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a connector, arranged for coupling to a power supply external to the electronic device, wherein the power supply is arranged to provide a supply voltage to the electronic device to charge a battery of the electronic device; and 
 a charger, coupled to the connector and selectively operated in a normal mode or a self-test mode, wherein when the charger operates in the normal mode, the charger is arranged for receiving the supply voltage via a power pin of the connector to charge the battery of the electronic device; and when the charger operates in the self-test mode, the charger provides a specific voltage to the power pin of the connector. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the charger is allowed to operate in the self-test mode no matter whether the connector is coupled to the power supply or not. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the specific voltage is greater than the supply voltage provided by the power supply. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a resistor, coupled between the charger and the connector; and 
 a current detector, wherein when the charger operates in the self-test mode and provides the specific voltage to the power pin of the connector, the current detector detects a current flowing through the resistor to generate a detecting result. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein when the current flowing through the resistor is lower than a threshold, the charger switches from the self-test mode to the normal mode; and when the current flowing through the resistor is greater than the threshold, the current detector notifies a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable the supply voltage or reduce an output current. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a voltage detector, for detecting a voltage of a non-power pin of the connector to generate a detecting result; 
 wherein when the voltage of the non-power pin is greater than a threshold, the voltage detector notifies a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable or reduce the supply voltage or an output current. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transistor, having a gate electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the gate electrode is controlled by a control signal provided by the charger, the first electrode is coupled to a ground pin of the connector, and the second electrode is coupled to a ground of the electronic device; and 
 a resistor, coupled between the ground pin of the connector and the ground of the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein a default status of the transistor is off, and the electronic device further comprises:
 a voltage detector, for detecting a voltage of a non-power pin of the connector to generate a detecting result; 
 wherein when the voltage of the non-power pin is greater than a threshold, the voltage detector notifies a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable or reduce the supply voltage or an output current; and when the voltage of the non-power pin is less than a threshold, the charger sends the control signal to turn on the transistor. 
 
     
     
       9. A charger, arranged to be positioned in an electronic device and coupled to a connector of the electronic device, wherein the connector is arranged for coupling to a power supply external to the electronic device, and the charger is selectively operated in a normal mode or a self-test mode; wherein when the charger operates in the normal mode, the charger is arranged for receiving a supply voltage from the power supply via a power pin of the connector to charge a battery of the electronic device; and when the charger operates in the self-test mode, the charger provides a specific voltage to the power pin of the connector. 
     
     
       10. The charger of  claim 9 , wherein the charger is allowed to operate in the self-test mode no matter whether the connector is coupled to the power supply or not. 
     
     
       11. The charger of  claim 9 , wherein the specific voltage is greater than the supply voltage provided by the power supply. 
     
     
       12. The charger of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a voltage detector, for detecting a voltage of a non-power pin of the connector to generate a detecting result; 
 wherein when the voltage of the non-power pin is greater than a threshold, the voltage detector notifies a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable or reduce the supply voltage or an output current. 
 
     
     
       13. A detecting method of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a connector arranged for coupling to a power supply external to the electronic device, wherein the power supply is arranged to provide a supply voltage to the electronic device to charge a battery of the electronic device, and the detecting method comprises:
 operating in a self-test mode and providing a specific voltage from a charger within the electronic device to the power pin of the connector; and 
 detecting a voltage or a current of the connector to generate a detecting result when the specific voltage is provided to the power pin of the connector. 
 
     
     
       14. The detecting method of  claim 13 , wherein the self-test mode is allowed to be operated no matter whether the connector is coupled to the power supply or not. 
     
     
       15. The detecting method of  claim 13 , wherein the specific voltage is greater than the supply voltage provided by the power supply. 
     
     
       16. The detecting method of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a resistor coupled between the charger and the connector, and the step of generating the detecting result comprises:
 detecting a current flowing through the resistor to generate the detecting result; and 
 when the current flowing through the resistor is greater than a threshold, notifying a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable or reduce the supply voltage or an output current. 
 
     
     
       17. The detecting method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of generating the detecting result comprises:
 detecting a voltage of a non-power pin of the connector to generate the detecting result; and 
 when the voltage of the non-power pin is greater than a threshold, notifying a processor of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable the supply voltage or reduce an output current. 
 
     
     
       18. An electronic device, comprising:
 a connector, arranged for coupling to a power supply external to the electronic device, wherein the power supply is arranged to provide a supply voltage to the electronic device to charge a battery of the electronic device; 
 a charger, coupled to the connector, for receiving the supply voltage to charge the battery; 
 a transistor, having a gate electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the gate electrode is controlled by a control signal provided by the charger, the first electrode is coupled to a ground pin of the connector, and the second electrode is coupled to a ground of the electronic device; and 
 a resistor, coupled between the ground pin of the connector and the ground of the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein a default status of the transistor is off, and the electronic device further comprises:
 a voltage detector, for detecting a voltage of a non-power pin of the connector to generate a detecting result; 
 wherein when the voltage of the non-power pin is greater than a threshold, the voltage detector notifies a controller of the electronic device to show a warning message, noise, or vibration or to notify the power supply to disable the supply voltage or reduce an output current; and when the voltage of the non-power pin is less than a threshold, the charger sends the control signal to turn on the transistor.